This invention relates to a motorcycle front wheel disc brake arrangement and more particularly to an improved suspension and braking arrangement for the front wheel of a motorcycle.
One form of motorcycle front wheel suspension arrangement which has a number of advantages employs an axle carrier that is disposed at one side of the front wheel and which is connected for steering movement to the handlebar assembly. This axle carrier is supported from the motorcycle frame for suspension movement by means of a leading arm assembly. The leading arm may either comprise a single arm or a pair of arms.
Although this type of suspension arrangement has a number of advantages, it is also necessary to provide an arrangement for braking the rotation of the front wheel and this must be suspended at least in part from the axle carrier. Conventionally this has been done by having a forwardly extending bracket carried by the axle carrier and which carries the caliper of a disc brake assembly. However, such arrangements have some disadvantages. In the first instance, when the caliper assembly extends forwardly, this provides an unsprung mass that is offset from the steering axis and can provide undesirable steering and suspension operation. Furthermore, the cantilevered type of construction for the caliper assembly requires a heavy supporting bracket which further aggravates the aforenoted problems. In addition, the bracket mounting can position the caliper in a location that can cause it to be subject to damage.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved front wheel suspension and disc brake assembly for a motorcycle.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a motorcycle front wheel suspension and disc brake assembly wherein the brake is mounted directly from the axle carrier and is protected by it.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a front wheel suspension and disc brake assembly wherein the axle carrier mounts directly the disc brake caliper and the disc brake caliper is centrally positioned on the axle carrier.